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Next Thursday is Valentine’s Day. I’ve spent the better part of this week editing stories for this edition of Prospector that showcase the wide range of options for celebrating your love. From sweet to sultry, romantic to manic, there is definitely something for everyone to enjoy next week.

Well, almost everyone.

Much like my preference to avoid New Year’s resolutions, I am not a big supporter of Valentine’s Day.

Or, more accurately, I wasn’t.

It was too commercial, too contrived. Why does there have to be a special day to share my love when I should do it all year long?

“It’s the love day!” my 4-year-old reminds me when I say it’s not really a holiday.

I always envisioned molding my girls into strong, independent women. I didn’t realize how much they would teach me about letting go, being silly and embracing a day devoted to love.

Next Thursday, the Nevada County Coalition of One Billion Rising will join in solidarity with communities across 189 countries around the world for One Billion Rising, the largest day of action in the history of V-Day, a global activist movement to end violence against women and girls.

The free event aims to empower women and connect the community through activism and fun.

“This is an incredible opportunity to empower women in our community and bring together the organizations and men who support them,” said Elisa Parker of See Jane Do, who is one of the half-dozen organizers of this event. “The Nevada County Coalition of One Billion Rising is honored to be part of such an important event and movement and join forces with Eve Ensler. It’s vital that we rise together to end violence against women and girls. The time is now.”

One Billion Rising began as a call to action based on the staggering statistic that one in three women on the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. With the world population at 7 billion, this adds up to more than one billion women and girls, according to Parker.

The free event will kick off with a Rise-Up Procession at 5:30 p.m. (meet up at downtown Grass Valley Safeway 5:15 p.m.) and will move toward The Center for the Arts. Unifying the community in a global dance down the street, Jazzercise Grass Valley and Rhythms Fitness is teaching hundreds of women Debbie Allen’s choreographed dance, “Break the Chain.” Free rehearsals to learn the Break the Chain dance will be offered at 10:15 a.m. today, 9:45 a.m. Saturday and again at 6:45 p.m. Monday at Jazzercise Grass Valley, 126 South Auburn St.

The Nevada County Coalition of One Billion Rising organizers consists of See Jane Do, DVSAC, SAVVY, The Center for the Arts, Jazzercise Grass Valley, Women Against the War on Women, One World Awake and Citizens for Choice with support from Women of Worth, Gather the Women and Rhythms Fitness. To learn about One Billion Rising, visit http://onebillionrising.org/ or the Nevada County Coalition of One Billion Rising.

I look forward to next Thursday, if only to see the joy on my daughters’ faces to have yet another holiday to celebrate. I may even wear red. It will complement the pink glitter still stuck in my hair.